Musical instruments, such as acoustic guitars, mandolin and banjos are very popular and have been in mass production for well over 100 years. Other string instruments such as electric guitars and basses have also been produced for over 60 years. Many of these instruments are still in service today. Vintage instruments such as Fender, Gibson and Martin guitars are very coveted and their value can be much greater than those of more modern instruments. As is with many antique and vintage items, value can be impaired if permanent modifications or alterations are performed.
As such instruments age, their tuning machines can wear to the degree that their function and accuracy become impaired. Moreover, tuning machines can break for various reasons, thereby necessitating replacement of the tuning machines even on more modern instruments from time to time. Further, incorporating modern-style tuning machines which possess new and advanced technology would be advantageous to older instruments if the vintage value of the instrument was not affected.
Throughout the years, many different brands and styles of tuning machines have been used on older instruments which can make it very difficult, if not impossible, to find a suitable match. Because different brands and styles of tuning machines require different screw alignment/mounting patterns, it is often necessary to relocate alignment/mounting holes on expensive instruments. Relocating these holes can be difficult. If the alignment/mounting holes are not located precisely, the tuning machine can tilt or be off angle. The alignment/mounting screws tend to be very small while the neck material of instruments can vary from, for example, hard maple to soft mahogany. It is very common for these small screws to strip out or break off in the neck while installing tuning machines. For these and other reasons, many musicians opt to have tuning machines installed by professional instrument technicians, which can be costly.
What is needed is a system, kit and/or method which allows a modern tuning machine to be easily and inexpensively installed on a wide variety of instruments, including vintage guitars, without the need of any permanent alterations to the instrument.